Signaling device



W. H. CARPENTER.

SIGNALING DEVICE. APPLlCATl0N FILED SEPT.27, 1919.

PatentedSept. 20 1921.

Q h illzkzmbffameni'en INVENTOR.

1'. I BY ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcs.

SIGNALING DEVICE.

A Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 20, 1921.

Application filed September 27, 1919. Serial No. 326,928.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, 'IL IAM H. CARPEN- TER, citizen of the United States, and resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Signaling Device, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to signaling devices and particularly to those designed for use by drivers of power driven vehicles or the like for displaying at night to the driver of affollowing vehicle the course to be taken bya driver ahead.

An object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which can be worn on the wrist of the driver of a car and which will include an electric circuit having a lamp and means for automatically controlling the circuit to light the lamp when the hand ojlf the driver is thrown to a display or sig aling position, the device being of a form. whereby the entire hand of the driver will be brilliantly illuminated when the circuit is closed, while simultaneously displaying aired signal as an additional warning to the} driver following the vehicle from which the signal is passed.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of a signaling device capable of being worn on the wrist of the hand in a manner whereby the driver will always have free use of the hand when manipulating the steering wheel, the electric circuit being held open normally by the position of the hand while engaged with said steering wheel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a signaling device which will consist of a circuit having a detachable lamp carrying section which may be quickly sepaarated from said circuit when the driver desires to leave the vehicle and readily reassociated therewith upon returning to and entering a position in the vehicle near the steering wheel.

The various important features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of my invention which I have selected for illustration in the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device showing the same in use.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the circult.

Fig. 3 is a section taken through the mercury tube, showing the mercury in a circult closing position and,

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the mercury in normally open position.

Fig. dis a longitudinal section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

In carrying the invention into practice use is made of a wrist engaging strap 10 adapted to be adjusted to position by means of a suitable buckle 11 so that it will assume the normal working position shown in Fig. 1. A bracket 12 is secured to the broad side of the strap and extending therefrom is an arm 13, constructed preferably of tubing and adapted to serve as a conduit for the wires of an electric circuit which I will presently describe in proper detail. The arm is curved so that the end 14 thereof overlies the back of the hand in spaced relation thereto. Upon said end ll is mounted an electric socket 15 which may be of any suitable well known construction so that electrical connection may be properly established between it and the contact end of a. small electric lamp 16.

Supported by the end 14: of the arm 13 is a reflector 17. the under side of which is mirrored so that the light rays from the lamp will be diffused and scattered broadcast over the back of the hand when the circuit is closed. The reflector is disposed directly at one side of the lamp and in lateral alinement therewith. it is formed with an opening in which a signaling lens 18 of red glass is mounted, which when the lamp is burning displays a distinctive and eflective danger signal in the direction of the driver behind.

The circuit includes the feed wires A-B which have operative connection with a battery C, the said wires having connection with a socket D. The wrist strap includes wires E and F which lead to a push plug G which is adapted to enter the socket to complete the circuit connections. The wire E leads to the socket 15 and the wire F to the socket member H of a circuit closer I.

The other wire J of the socket member H finds a ground connection with the metallic bracket 12, and as shown both wires of said socket are connected with contact pieces KK, adapted to mate with similar contact pieces L-L of a tube M. The contact pieces L -L are provided with effective circuit closing ends NN extended into the space of the long branch of said tube M. The

tube is provided with a short underlying branch P in which is formed a well for the reception of a small quantity of mercury Q, the bend R between the respective branches of the tube being such that by a sudden canting of the wrist, the mercury will be expelled from the well and conducted by gravity to the contact ends N-N, spanning the latter and thus completing the circuit with a resultant lighting of the lamp. It will of course be understood that the underlying position of the branch P serves to establish a normal open circuit, permitting the driver to have full control of the hand for manipulating the steering wheel. A switch S in the circuit serves to permit thecircuit to be closed manually so'that the device may be advantageously used for emergency purposes or in repairing.

Traflic regulations of municipalities require that the driver of a car resort to certain hand gesticulations in order that signals may be displayed to the driver of a following car, to indicate the course about to be taken by the driver ahead or thathe intends to stop his car, it being common for the driver to remove one hand from the steering wheel and extend the same from one side of the car with the hand disposed fiatwise and at right angles to the path of travel of the car. Such mode of signaling has been found exceedingly efi'ective during day light and in creating the device which I have now fully described. it follows that the same signaling methods employed at day light and now broadly recognized, can be successfully employed at night, but with augmented thor-- oughness as the construction of the device flashes a distinctive signal to the driver behind while fully illuminating the hand of the driver ahead. The operation of the device is automatically controlled through signaling movements of the hand of the driver and the attention of the latter need not be deflected from his duty during such signaling motion of the hand.

\Yhile I have hereinfully shown and de scribed, and have pointed out in the appended claims certain novel features of construction, arrangement. and operation which characterize my inventionrit will be understood by those skilled in the art that various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the forms, proportions, sizes and details of the device, of the materials used. and of their operation may be made without departing from my invention.

What I claim is:

1. A circuit closer of the type capable of being worn upon the hand and adapted to be respectively tilted to open and closed circuit positions upon moving the hand from the steering wheel of an automobile and extending the hand to a signaling position compr sing a wrist engaging strap, a tube having circuit wires operatively connected thereto. said tube having a main lead and a laterally disposed well, the well being in open communication with said main lead, a quantity of mercury arranged in said tube, contacts located within the main lead and connected with said circuit wires, and means for supporting said tube from the strap so that when the hand of the operator is engaged with a steering wheel; the aforesaid lead will be disposed with relation to said well to cause said mercury to be contained in said well and away from said contacts. and whereby a movement of the hand from the steering wheel and to a signaling position, the said tube will be canted and the mercury moved from the well into the said main lead and in circuit closing engagement with said contacts.

2. A circuit closer of the type capable of being worn upon the hand and adapted to be respectively tilted to open and closed circuit positions upon moving the hand from a steering wheel of an automobile and extending the hand to a signaling position comprising a wrist engaging strap, a tube having circuit wires operatively connected thereto. said tube having a main lead and a laterally disposed well. the well being in open communication with said main lead. a quantity of mercury arranged in said tube, contacts located in saidmain lead and connected with said circuit wires. and means for supporting said tube from the strap so that when the hand of the operator is engaged with a steering wheel: the aforesaid lead will be disposed with relation to said well to cause said mercury to be contained in the latter and away from said contacts. and whereby a movement of the hand from the steering wheel and to a signaling position, the said tube will be canted and the mercury moved from the well and into the said main lead and in circuit closing engagement with said contacts. the supporting means embodying contacts constituting parts of said wires and co-acting with the first named contacts, and a push plug carried by said circuit wires and leading from said means. all as and for the purpose set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York. and State of New York, this 20th day of August, A. D. 1919.

YVILLIAM H. CARPENTER. 

